The present invention relates to an expandable container, for example, according to the ISO Standard, particularly as a working space. Man-sized accessible containers of this type are also called “shelters” in English-speaking areas.
An expandable container is described, for example, in DE-G 92 16 314.9 and includes a basic container with foldable side walls as well as one or more expansion elements which can be moved out of the basic container. An expansion element has two side walls and one front wall. With the expansion element moved out, two folded-open side walls of the basic container form the roof wall and the floor wall of an expansion element. A disadvantage of this construction are the large sealing lengths which are required for the sealing of the container along the roof wall and floor wall. This presents a problem particularly when ABC (atomic, biological, chemical) tightness is demanded.
Another expandable container is described in EP 0 682 156 B1 and has a basic container as well as one or more expansion elements for expanding the interior space. The expansion element can be moved out of the basic container. The expansion elements are box-shaped and, with the exception of the open side toward the basic container, are closed on all sides. For achieving an even floor within the entire container, a lifting device is also provided so that the expansion elements can be lowered with the result that, after the lowering step, the floor walls of the basic container and the expansion element are situated at the same level. In the construction with two expansion elements, the dimensions of the two expansion elements have to be selected such that one expansion element can be moved into the other expansion element.
DE 101 35 226 A1 describes an expandable container of the above-mentioned type which has a lifting device for achieving an even floor so that the expansion elements can be lowered and thereafter the floor walls of the basic container and of the expansion element are situated at the same level. The expansion elements are open toward the top. A side wall, which can be folded about a horizontal axis, is situated on the basic container and, when the expansion element has moved out, forms the roof wall of an expansion element. This construction achieves an improved standing height in an expansion element.